Australia Electricity Plan Comparison

Most Australian states have deregulated electricity retail - you can choose from multiple retailers (Origin, AGL, EnergyAustralia, Red Energy, Alinta, Powershop, Lumo, etc.). WA and Tasmania are still mostly regulated. Rates vary by region within deregulated states based on network costs. Switching retailers is straightforward and free; new retailers handle the transition.

Bill components: usage charge (cents/kWh), supply charge (daily fixed, $1-1.50/day), feed-in tariff if you have solar (5-15 cents/kWh credit). Average annual cost for a 4-person household using 5,500 kWh: $1,800-2,500 in Eastern states, $1,500-2,200 in WA/Tas. Rates have risen significantly since 2022 due to global energy market volatility.

Network costs (poles, wires, transformers) make up 40-50% of the bill in most states - these are regulated and pass through to all retailers. Wholesale energy is 25-35%, regulated. Retail margin is 10-15% - this is where retailer competition happens. So switching retailers typically saves 5-15% on the bill, not 30-50%.

Discounts off 'standing offer' rates were popular before 2019 when reforms moved everyone to 'reference price' benchmarking. Now compare actual rates and supply charges directly. The Australian Government's Energy Made Easy website and Victorian Energy Compare are official comparison tools that aggregate offers.

Solar feed-in tariffs (FiT) - what retailers pay you for excess solar exported to the grid - have collapsed from $0.30-0.60/kWh historical high to $0.05-0.10/kWh in 2024-25. The economics of new solar still work, but mostly through self-consumption (avoided usage cost) rather than feed-in revenue.

Time-of-use tariffs increasingly common. Off-peak (overnight) rates 20-35 cents/kWh, peak (4-9pm) 40-65 cents/kWh, shoulder rates between. Solar households benefit from shifting consumption to mid-day (cheap) and avoiding peak. Battery storage is approaching financial viability for solar households who want to use stored solar during evening peak.

Average savings from active retailer switching: $200-400/year. Bigger savings if you've been with the same retailer for 3+ years (acquisition discounts often expire). Ten minutes on Energy Made Easy plus a phone call usually completes the switch. New retailer handles all transitions; no power interruption.

Contract terms: most are no-lock-in (free to switch any time). Some 'fixed price' plans lock for 12-24 months but offer rate certainty. Watch for early termination fees on locked plans. Hardship plans available if you fall behind on payments - utilities are required to offer payment plans rather than disconnect quickly.